After missing out on a Red Bull move for F1 2025, VCARB’s Yuki Tsunoda is now under new management. 

And his new representative has wasted no time in looking to “build a relationship” with Red Bull senior advisor and driver programme boss Helmut Marko.

Yuki Tsunoda ‘appreciates’ new manager’s Marko approach

Tsunoda’s previous management team of Mario Miyakawa and Luis Alvarez have made way for Diego Menchaca ahead of the F1 2025 campaign, Menchaca an experienced racer on the single-seater and GT scenes.

And Tsunoda is happy with the impact that the 30-year-old is already making, as he looks to secure his long-term future in Formula 1.

“I am not working [with] Mario anymore, and Luis as well,” Tsunoda told Autosport.

“I’m really happy with Diego.

“He’s motivated, definitely. Once we decided to work together, he immediately went to Helmut’s office to build a relationship. That kind of effort, I really appreciate – and obviously, Helmut did too.

“They already have a good relationship, which is a good start. But in the end, the most important thing is to perform on track, which will make Diego’s life easier.”

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Despite outscoring both of his F1 2024 team-mates – Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson – Tsunoda was overlooked for an F1 2025 promotion to the senior Red Bull team after Sergio Perez’s departure, with Lawson getting the nod.

Tsunoda therefore is gearing up for a fifth season with the Red Bull junior squad, but it is arguably his most critical one yet, with Menchaca facing an important mission to secure Tsunoda’s place in F1.

That is because Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested that F1 2025 will be Tsunoda’s final season with VCARB, after which he would either move to a different role within the Red Bull fold or leave.

“We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki – being, in all honesty, this year [2025] – does it make sense [to keep him]?” Horner said.

“You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. You can’t always be the bridesmaid.

“You’ve either got to let them go at that point or look at something different.

“I think he’s very determined. “He knows that things change very quickly.

“Who would’ve thought nine months ago we’d be sitting here talking about Liam Lawson being our driver for 2025?

“Things change quickly in this industry and he’s aware of that and knows that he needs to be the one demonstrating that he’s the one knocking on the door.”

Tsunoda got his first taste of Red Bull machinery when he drove the RB20 during the Abu Dhabi post-2024 season test.

For F1 2025, he will line-up at VCARB alongside Isack Hadjar, the Red Bull junior graduating to F1 after a runner-up finish in the 2024 F2 Championship.

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